Device for removing the thread waste from bobbins



June 11, 1957 w. STUTZ 2,795,030

DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE THREAD WASTE FROM BOBBINS Filed Dc. 29, 1954 s Shets-Sheet 1 g/xv 7 T 0R3 fr ww June 11, 1957 w. sTuTz 2,795,030

' DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE THREAD WASTE FROM BOBBINS Filed Dec. 29', "1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w. sTuTz June 11, 1957 DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE THREAD WASTE FROM BOBBINS s Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 29, 1954 INVENTOR: QM A127 United States atent O DEVICE FOR REMOVING THE THREAD WASTE FROM BOBBINS Walter Stutz, Kempten, near Wetzikon, Switzerland, assignor t Stutz & Cie., Kempten, near Wetzikon, Switzerland Application December 29, 1954, Serial No. 478,444

7 Claims. (Cl. 28--19) The device for removing the thread waste from bobbins according to the present invention in contradistinction to heretofore known constructions, comprises a working station arranged between a feeding guide and a discharge guide for the bobbins, in which working station the bobbin is temporarily retained on its forward movement, is rotated about its proper axis by means of a driving device and is thereby subjected to the influence of a suction device acting in transverse direction of the bobbin in order to loosen the thread waste from its outer or free end so as to feed it to a rotating winding drum provided in the zone of the discharge track of the bobbin.

This guarantees with relatively simple means and with a small loss of energy an unwinding of the thread Waste from the bobbin.

The invention, which mainly is destined to the treatment of the shuttle bobbins of automatic looms shall be described in a more detailed manner in the description now to follow of preferred embodiments thereof, in which reference will be made to the partly diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional elevation showing the main parts of an embodiment of the device.

Fig. 2 illustrates, in an enlarged plan view, the driving and rotating mechanism for the bobbin.

Fig. 3 is a detail View, perpendicular to Fig. 1, showing the suction device and the winding drum.

Figs. 4 and 5 are a sectional elevation and plan view, respectively, of a variant of the suction device.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a modified suction device.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showing a modified device for rotating the bobbin.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a vertical section and a sectional plan view, respectively, of another embodiment of a device for rotating the bobbin, and

Fig. 10 is a plan view illustrating a lock-and-feed device preceding the working station.

In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 design-ates an inclined track which feeds the bobbins, brought to it mechanically or by hand, in suspended position to a tube or pit 2 to which the bobbins arrive one after the other in certain time intervals.

A lock-and-feed device acting at the upper end of tube 2 is provided for this purpose. This lock-and-feed device comprises a slide 3 of rectangular cross-section, to which is imparted a periodical to-and-fro movement in longitudinal direction. The slide 3 stops the movement of the bobbin A which arrives on the feeding track 1 either by sliding under the action of its proper weight or eventually mechanically fed. The mentioned device further comprises a rota-ting disc 4 having a crank pin 5 to which is connected one end of an eccentric bar 6 having its other end running by means of a bolt 7 in a not represented guide and carrying a swingable feed fork 8. The shorter arm of this fork 8 abuts against a pin 9 during the forward movement of the bar 6 so that, under the action of the corresponding oscillatory movement of the fork, a, the longer arm of the latter may, during the subsequent back stroke of the bar 6, be moved over the bobbin A retained by the advanced slide 3, whereafter it is forcibly swung into the working position indicated by dot-and-dash lines. Subsequent to the return of slide 3 and during the feed movement of the eccentric bar 6 the fork 8 feeds the bobbin A into the pit 2 in which it falls under the action of its proper weight to the free working station in which a bobbin A1 is represented.

With its tapered lower end the bobbin A1 is caught in a driving device comprising in a bearing 10 a vertical driving shaft 11 driving over toothed wheels 12 and a shaft 13 a driving roller 14 acting upon the bobbin so as to rotate the latter about its proper axis. According to Fig. 2 the bobbin A1 bears, in addition to said driving roller 14, against two abutting rollers 15 and 16 the latter mounted on an oscillating lever 17 which, when oscillating about the axle 18a, periodically comes into the position indicated by dot-and-dash lines in which the roller 16 is inoperative i. e. in which the friction drive is interrupted in order to enable the bobbin in the mentioned working station to freely advance along the guide track 18 (Fig. 1). The direction of rotation of the bobbin A1 driven by the driving roller 14 is contrary to the direction in which the thread waste remaining on the bobbin is wound onto the latter so that the latter is influenced in the sense of unwinding i. e. it is correspondingly loosened.

This influence on the thread waste is increased by a suction stream directed transversely to the bobbin A1. This suction stream obtained with an air conduit 19 having in the zone of the mentioned working station a suction opening 20 elongated in vertical direction.

In order to move downwardly the thus liberated end of the thread rest two adjacent nozzle arms 21 and 22 are provided near the working station. These two nozzle arms both rotate in the direction indicated by arrow I in Fig. 3 about an axle extending transversely with respect to them. Both nozzle arms 21 and 22 are secured by means of a hub 23 to a hollow shaft 24 arranged on a tube 25 divided into two chambers 26 and 27 by means of a separating wall. Slots 28 and 29, respectively, are provided in these chambers for periodically connecting the chamber 26 and 27, respectively, with the rotating nozzle arm 21 and 22, respectively, in order to produce a suction stream in the nozzle arm 21 and to feed compressed air to the nozzle arm 22. As visible in Fig. 3 these are two working phases relatively displaced with respect to each other, whereby in this Figure 3 references II and III, respectively, designate in the course of rotation of the arms 21, 22, the angle in which the nozzle arm 21 exerts a suction effect and the nozzle arm 22 a blowing effect, respectively. Suction and blowing effect follow each other directly. As is easily understood the suction effect of nozzle arm 21 moves the liberated thread end downwardly in axial direction of the bobbin A1 whereafter it is further moved downwardly and slightly sidewardly under the influence of the nozzle arm 22 so as to be brought out of the zone of said working station and over a guide surface 31 (Fig. 3) into the zone of the winding drum 31. The rotating winding drum 31 is provided in a way known per se with means for giving a good adhesion to the oncoming thread. The winding drum 31 is located in the zone of the bobbin discharge track 18 but extends into the zone of the said Working station.

After a predetermined time the treated bobbin is moved away along the track 18 so that the working station is again free for receiving another bobbin to be treated. The mentioned discharge of the treated bobbin is obtained by a rotating disc 32 arranged laterally to the track and having a crank pin 33 engaged by one end of a bar 34 the other end of which is guided in a not represented guide by a bolt .35 and carries a hook 36. By this book 36 the bobbin A1, after having been submitted for a predetermined time interval to the described treatment, is seized, moved out :of the working station and brought on thetrack-ls into the positionindicated by dotand-dash linesiro'm which it is moved-furtherpaway in the same direction by the next treated bobbin brought to this place by the hook During/the return stroke -of bar 34, i. e. during its movement in directiontowards-the unentionedworking station the hook 36- is momentarily lifted by .a guide bolt (not shown) projecting laterally from said hook and engaging a suitably formed guideway so as to pass above the new bobbinarrived in thezmeantime into the working station, before itis again lowered into its starting position. As the bobbin removed from the working station is on the track 18 its thread waste is completely removed by the .winding drum 31 whereupon the bobbin .is .takenaway from track 18. l. Eventually the nozzle .arm pair 21, 22 could-be replaced by-a sole air nozzlearm. orthere could be provided :a mechanical conveying devicefor .seizingthe threadendsucked away from the :bobbin and feeding same to the winding drum 31.

According to Figs. .4 and anwair conduit 37 is associated .Wlill the working station, which conduit has two opposite suction mouth pieces 38 acting on the periphery and transversely to the bobbin. Airconduit 37 is formed at its suction endas afork receiving acylindrical brush 39 adapted .to attackthe thread waste on the bobbin A1. The brush 39 is rotatiyely connected with a shaft 40 sup ported in a bearing 41 and driven by a disc-42 so as to rotate the brush in the direction of loosem'ng the thread waste remaining on bobbin A1. Independently therefrom there is provided a lower friction drive for the bobbin. The device would also work without brush 39. However, the arrangement of the latter substantially improves the reliability of the operation.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing reference numeral 43 designates an air conduithaving an elongated, vertical suction opening 44 in the zone of the working station i. e. of the bobbin A1 to be treated.

Fig. 7 illustrates a driving device for rotating the bobbin comprising a vertically arranged holding spindle 47 supported in bearings 45 and. 46. This spindle 47 supports acantilever arm 49 between fork arms of which is loosely mounted on spindle47 a roller 50 having two circumferential grooves receiving each a driving string one for its proper driving and the other for driving a roller 51 secured on a spindle 52 provided on its lower end with a bell 53. The end of the cantilever arm 49, opposite to the one supported by the spindle 47 is also forked so as to enclose between the fork arms the roller 51 and to serve as an axial guiding for the spindle 52. The rotating spindle .52 drives by means of its bell 53 the bobbin A1 in the working station as the bell 53 is in frictional engagement with the corresponding i. e. thickened upper end of bobbin A. The driving spindle '52, by means of a circumferential groove 54 provided at its upper end, is suspended from a connection piece 55 articulated to a carrying arm 56. The latter is swingably connected by means of a bolt 57 to a carrying element 58 supported on spindle 47. In order to release the bobbin A1 for its discharge on track 18 the driving spindle 52 is upwardly displaced by arm 56 automatically swinging into the position indicated by dot-and-dash lines. Subsequently the cantilever arm 49 is automatically swung about the spindle 47, i. e. sidewardly, so that .it comes out of the zone of the said working station and the latter is ready to receive the next bobbin to be treated. Reference numerals 19 and 20 designate the suction device associated with the working station.

The described construction of a device for rotating the bobbin could also be changed so that the driving spindle 52 comes directly into frictional engagement with a central boring provided in the bobbin.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a modification of a friction drive acting on the upper end of bobbin A1. In this embodi ment two axle bolts and 61 are provided in a bearing 59 provided above the track 18. The axle bolt 60, visible in Fig. 8, carries at its upper end a driving roller 62. Eventually such a driving roller could also be arranged on the axle bolt 61. Both axle bolts 60 and 61 carry a roller63 and .64, respectively, as well as a bridge 65 and 66, respectively, provided each on pins 67 and 68, respectively, with a roller 69 and 70, respectively. The pair of rollers 69, 70 maintains the bobbin A1 against the pair of rollers 63, 64 so that it is rotated about its proper axis by the driving roller 63. In order to remove the treated bobbin from the working station, which again is provided with an air suction device 19, 20, and along the track 18, the two 'br'idges65 and are temporarily swung sidewardly into the position indicated by dot-aud-dash lines in Fig. 9. Thereby the friction drive is interrupted and simultaneously the workingstation is made ready for receipt of the next bobbin to be treated.

According to Fig. 10 a locking lever 71 and a feed lever '72 are associated with the feed track 1 for the bobbin, at the. inlet of the tube (designated by 2 in Figs. 1 and4) leading tothe working station. The locking lever 71 spring-loaded by a spring 74 acting upon a lever 73, is periodically swung against the action of this spring and the .feedlever 72 is displaced in the direction indicated by an .arrow in order to release .and discharge the bobbin to the mentioned pit .or tube. For this purpose the feed lever 72 is provided with. two drivers 75. The feed lever 72 is displaced by: a control element 77 acting upon its axle bolt 76. The movement imparted to the feed lever 72 by this control element 77 is such that the lever is swung upwardly in its return stroke to pass above the new bobbin A2 .arrived and is lowered afterwards into the. position inwhich, in the following forward stroke, it first brings thebobbin to abut against the locking lever and then in a second step to the mentioned pit or tube.

Of course other modifications of the described device are possible without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for removing the thread waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a Working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station.

interposed between said. feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, a driving spindle in frictional engagement with the upper end of said retained bobbin for rotating the letter about its proper axis, means for periodically imparting to said driving spindle an upward and sideward swinging movement for rendering inoperative said frictional engagement and for releasing the retained bobbin for its further conveyance, a rotating Winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin and to direct it towards the said rotating winding drum.

2..In a device for removing the thread Waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, a supporting spindle, a cantilever arm provided on said supporting spindle, a carrying arm connected to said supporting spindle for movement in axial direction thereof, an axially movable driving spindle journaled in said cantilever arm and suspended from said carrying arm said driving spindle being adapted for sideward swinging movement together with said arms about the axis of said supporting spindle, and in frictional engagement with the upper end of said retained bobbin to rotate the latter about its proper axis, means for periodically imparting to said driving spindle an upward end sideward swinging movement for rendering inoperative said frictional engagement and for releasing the retained bobbin for its further conveyance, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin and to direct it towards the said rotating Winding drum.

3. In a device for removing the thread waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a Working "station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, a supporting spindle,

a cantilever arm provided on said supporting spindle, a

carrying arm connected to said supporting spindle for movement in axial direction thereof, an axially movable driving spindle journaled in said cantilever arm and suspended from said carrying arm said driving spindle being adapted for sideward swinging movement together with said arms about the axis of said supporting spindle, a bell shaped member provided at the lower end of said driving spindle and adapted to frictional engagement with the upper end of said retained bobbin to rotate the latter about its proper axis, means for periodically imparting to said driving spindle an upward and sideward swinging movement for rendering inoperative said frictional engagement and for releasing the retained bobbin for its further conveyance, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin and to direct it towards the said rotating winding drum.

4. In a device for removing the thread waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, a supporting spindle, a cantilever arm provided on said supporting spindle, a carrying arm connected to said supporting spindle for movement in axial direction thereof, an axially movable driving spindle journaled in said cantilever arm and suspended from said carrying arm said driving spindle being adapted for sideward swinging movement together with said arms about the axis of said supporting spindle, and in frictional engagement with a boring in the upper end of said retained bobbin to rotate the latter about its proper axis, means for periodically imparting to said driving spindle an upward and sideward swinging movement for rendering inoperative said frictional engagement and for releasing the retained bobbin for its further conveyance, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin and to direct it towards the said rotating winding drum.

5. In a device for removing the thread waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, means for rotating said retained bobbin about its proper axis, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste from the bobbin, said discharge guide being adapted to direct it towards the said rotating winding drum, said suction means comprising two oppositely arranged suction arms and a rotating brush arranged between said suction arms and adapted to loosen the thread waste from the bobbin.

6. In a device for removing the thread waste from bobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, means for rotating said retained bobbin about its proper axis, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin, said suction means comprising a suction nozzle acting transversely to the bobbin and at least one rotating nozzle arm acting in direction of the bobbin axis and operative in a predetermined angle of its rotation for moving the loosened thread end towards the winding drum.

7. In a device for removing the thread waste frombobbins, a feeding guide and a discharge guide for conveying bobbins to and from a working station interposed between said feeding and said discharge guide, means for temporarily retaining a bobbin fed to said working station to have its thread waste removed, means for rotating said retained bobbin about its proper axis, a rotating winding drum arranged in the zone of said discharge guide and suction means for subjecting the rotating bobbin to a suction stream acting transversely with respect to the bobbin in order to loosen the free end of the thread waste on the bobbin said suction means comprising a suction nozzle acting transversely to the bobbin and two rotating nozzle arms acting in direction of the bobbin axis and subsequently operative in a predetermined angle of their rotation, one of said nozzle arms exerting a suction action and the other of said nozzle arms exerting a blowing action for moving the loosened thread end towards the winding drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,132,344 Kleeb Oct. 4, 1938 2,149,778 Kimbirl Mar. 7, 1939 2,313,785 Turner Mar. 16, 1943 2,342,909 Terrell Feb. 29, 1944 2,443,002 Gifiin et a1. June 8, 1948 2,458,326 Wilson Ian. 4, 1949 

